Community action lands $5M grant
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By David Delcore TIMES ARGUS STAFF - Published: January 7, 2010
BERLIN – The folks over at the Central Vermont Community Action Council are pretty giddy after learning Wednesday that the nonprofit agency will be on the receiving end of one of the largest grants the U.S. Department of Labor has awarded under the $100 million Energy Training Partnership program.
"We're all just a few feet off the ground," CVCAC Executive Director Hal Cohen said shortly after receiving official confirmation that a $4.8 million grant application, submitted just before Labor Day, will be funded.
"This is a big deal," he said of the two-year stimulus grant that will enable CVCAC, and a list of "partners" too lengthy to mention, to train some 2,400 Vermonters under a "green jobs" program authored by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
The federal grant – one of 25 announced nationally Wednesday – will create immediate job opportunities as CVCAC and its partners move swiftly to hire the staff that will be needed to train "unemployed and underemployed" Vermonters for a variety of environmentally friendly occupations, Cohen said.
"We're going to be hiring a number of staff to be running this program and to manage it," he said, noting that at least five new staff will be needed at CVCAC's Barre-Montpelier-Road headquarters.
Cohen credited two existing CVCAC staff members – David Rubin and David Tucker – for co-authoring the grant application and Sanders, Sen. Patrick Leahy and Rep. Peter Welch for their behind-the-scenes efforts to secure funding for what he hopes will be a program that is replicated around the country.
"All eyes will be on us," he said. "We're responsible to try and make this a national model."
According to Rubin, the program will rely on a "comprehensive statewide network" of partners that includes Vermont Technical College, other non-profit organizations, several private businesses and labor unions. He said S.B. Electronics, Northern Power Systems – both local companies – and Country Home Products of Vergennes are among the private partners that are in various stages of growing a green workforces.
According to Cohen, green job opportunities in Vermont range from constructing huge wind turbines and cleaning furnaces to manufacturing solar panels and components for electric vehicles.
"This is really far ranging," he said, noting the program would specifically target veterans, women, the disabled and high school dropouts.
Cohen said the project will provide intensive case management and training to nearly 400 Vermonters, while at the same time ensuring that nearly 2,000 others receive training.
Participants will receive certificates – including the Homebuilders and Remodelers Association's Certified Green Professional certificate – or apprenticeship and licensing credits recognized by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
"We're imagining the tremendous potential this will bring to our region and the state," Cohen said, expressing a sentiment that was echoed by Sanders, who serves as chairman of the Senate Green Jobs and New Economy Subcomittee.
"One way to move our country toward energy independence, slow global warming and create good-paying jobs is to use energy in a smarter way," Sanders said in a prepared statement.
"As a nation we have to cut consumption by making our homes and businesses more energy efficient and move to renewable energies," he added. "Trouble is, today you would have a hard time finding workers qualified to do those jobs. This funding helps address the problem by training thousands of Vermonters for good-paying green jobs."
Vermont's senior senator and its lone congressman agreed, describing the newly awarded grant as an opportunity to emphasize the "green" in the Green Mountain State.
"Vermont is right, and early, to make a strong and sustained commitment to cutting-edge green jobs," Leahy said. "This project continues the training necessary to help families and businesses transform to a greener economy."
"Vermont has long been a leader in embracing the economic opportunity inherent in combating climate change," added Welch, a member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
"This grant is a recognition not only of our state's past successes but also of our enormous future potential to take the lead in creating green energy jobs," he added. "It will help homeowners and business owners save money on energy bills, reduce carbon emissions and create jobs Vermonters need."
According to Cohen, the first step will be to assemble an eager list of partners to gear up for the program.
"We need to start the hiring process, not just internally here, but around the state," he said.
david.delcore@timesargus.com
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